The Lost Hope

Chapter ILIV

Legolas's pov

"This is where it's the strongest." Alatar claims, stopping in place.

Tauriel and I stop, looking around. Like Alatar said earlier, there didn't seem to be an entrance to a cave or building around. I decide to go over to some bushes and rampage through them. Tauriel starts reading the ground, trying to find a trail.

I don't find anything in that bush, so I move onward. There is another cluster of bushes that I began digging through.

"There isn't even signs of any trails anywhere." Tauriel says, frustrated. "Maybe they covered their tracks."

"Orcs normally don't care about trivial matters." I reply, deciding that the bush I am looking at wasn't the entrance either. "I am starting to question if this is the right place."

"Alatar, are you sure it is your brother's magic? It could be something else." Tauriel asks.

"No, it is Pallando's power, for sure, but I still can't figure out where he is." Alatar replies. "I just can't understand how I feel it without any sign of him."

"What's even more odd..." Tauriel says. "The fact there isn't any tracks of orcs anywhere around here."

I stand up straight. It makes sense that the entrance would be hidden, but tracks are something orcs don't hide. However, a wizard would be more cautious.

"Alatar." I look at the wizard. "Can you sense a spell around here?" I ask him.

Alatar raises his staff, using it to sweep the air around him. He continues for a few seconds before chanting something loudly. He stabs the ground with the base of his staff, causing a burst of magical wind to blow across the area. It rustled my hair, but wasn't strong enough to blow me over. When the wind stops, the area looked completely different.

The bushes and trees were wilting or dead. The ground wasn't covered in grass, but was made of bloody dirt. There were also tracks in the dirt that weren't there before.

"There was a spell." Alatar says. "One well placed so it was hard to tell. If it weren't for the both of you, I may have taken longer to find this place."

I shake my head. "It was your help also." I start following the tracks of orcs. All the trails lead farther into the forest, away from the spot we were searching around. I run, hearing footsteps behind me. It doesn't take long for Tauriel to match my pace, but Alatar trails a little behind. We don't run long before we discover the entrance to the cave.

It is a cave dug into the ground, the entrance outlined by rock. Torches are dimly lighting up the path, showing more footsteps leading down the corridor. It seems like a typical orc lair, but I fell uneasy about this one in particular.

"You think this is it?" Tauriel asks, looking between Alatar and I. Alatar nods, and I turn back to the cave.

"Even if it isn't, something isn't right about this." I explain. "Alatar, do you still feel your brother's powers?"

"Yes, and I feel it coming from the cave. There's no doubt my brother is inside." Alatar walks past me, heading into the cave.

I look at Tauriel, who looked fearless and ready for the battle ahead. I smile, which came unexpectedly to both of us.

"What's the smile for?" Tauriel asks, confused and likely concerned.

I shake my head, turning away. "I am happy to be able to battle by your side." I continue after the wizard.

"Says the elf who wanted me to stay behind." Tauriel teases.

"I guess that's true, but I don't want you to get hurt. So please..." I turn back to her, making her stop. "...don't do anything stupid."

Tauriel laughs. "I don't plan on it, but you can't either."

I turn back, and the three of us walk through the dark pathways.